


A Dangerous Sound

by SignCherie



Series: Slayer [2]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-13
Updated: 2013-07-13
Packaged: 2017-12-19 08:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/881451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SignCherie/pseuds/SignCherie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beeeinyourbonnet prompted: hmmmmmmm watcher!rum hears a DANGEROUS SOUND that turns out to be something super innocuous.</p>
<p>A short fic that takes place in the Slayer universe, in which Belle is the Vampire Slayer and Rumplestiltskin is her Watcher.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Dangerous Sound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [beeeinyourbonnet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeeinyourbonnet/gifts).



Apparently even Slayers could wear themselves out. All the late night patrols must have taken their toll on Belle, because she had fallen asleep right on top of the pile of books she’d been working her way through. Her face was pressed against the pages of the open book laying on the arm of the couch, her mouth hanging open in her sleep..

Rumplestiltskin watched her. She was beautiful. Even in this awkward position,she was too beautiful for words. He was afraid to move in case he might wake her.

But her really shouldn’t leave her laying like that. It couldn’t be comfortable, and she might start drooling on his priceless copy of The Compendium of Ancient Magical Artifacts. As silently as possible, he rose to retrieve a blanket and pillow from the hall closet. When he returned, he carefully slid the book out from under her and did his best to arrange her into a more comfortable position without waking her up.

He had his arm around her shoulder and was attempting to tug her down -- gently -- so that her head was on the pillow, when Belle shifted in her sleep with a moan. Her arm touched his, then wrapped around it, pulling him closer. “Rumplestiltskin,” she murmured, a smile flitting over her face.

Rumplestiltskin froze.

“Belle?” he whispered.

Had he heard her right? Had he woken her? Had she realized what he was doing, and responded by pulling him close?

His heart pounded.

“Belle?”

Belle sighed, but otherwise showed no sign of recognition. She was still asleep. Rumplestiltskin didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed, but disappointment was winning out.

And then he realized that if she was still sleeping, and she had said his name, she must be dreaming about him.

He looked at her. The contented smile was still lingering on Belle’s face, and she was still holding his arm, cuddling it like it was a teddy bear. God, she was amazing.

Rumplestiltskin leaned closer. Would it be taking advantage if he kissed her while she slept? She sighed again, her lips parting invitingly.

_Crunch_.

The sound startled Rumplestiltskin out of his reverie, and he jerked back, thankfully not jostling Belle. What was that? Bae was asleep in his room, and there was nothing in his apartment that should be making that noise. He listened.

_Crunch_.

The sound was coming from right outside the window. Rumplestiltskin went cold all over, remembering the last time something had been lurking outside his home. Had he been even a moment later in rescuing his son from the werewolf, Baelfire would be dead right now.

_Crunch. Crunch_.

He should wake up Belle. She was the Slayer. She had the training and experience to deal with this threat.

But he didn’t want to. Right now, he was a hero. He had saved his son. When Belle looked at him, she saw a man who could take out a werewolf. If she saw him cowering in fear again, she would remember the failure who had collapsed uselessly at the first sign of vampires when they had first met. And that was the last thing he wanted.

_Crunch_.

He was trembling as he slid his arms free of her. His crossbow was on the table; he’d started keeping it close when he was home ever since the wolf attack. With shaking hands, he picked it up and approached the window.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

He saw nothing but darkness, dim shapes, and a black sky punctuated by stars. The sound continued. Rumplestiltskin squinted, trying to make out the source, and doing his best to keep his body from trembling so badly that it became useless.

Something moved in the shadows, and his breath caught.

It moved again.

Rumplestiltskin raised the crossbow.

Another movement, and the source of the noise came into view in the starlight.

A rabbit.

Rumplestiltskin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he felt strongly inclined to do both. Ironically, his body began shaking even more now that he knew there was no threat. His shoulders hunched in relief, and he allowed himself a moment to give in to the tremors and the adrenaline. Then he straightened himself, limped back to the living room table and retrieved his cane.

Utter foolishness. It was a good thing Belle was sleeping and hadn’t seen him have a panic attack over a bunny.

Of course, she had already seen him at his worst, and she still respected him.

He pushed the thought away. He didn’t need voices in his head giving him impossible ideas. Belle was way out of his league, and forgetting that could only bring him pain.

He checked to make sure Belle had a stake handy, in case she needed it, and took his crossbow with him to bed.

Outside his apartment, Zoso smiled to himself, then turned and walked away, his feet crunching on the autumn leaves.


End file.
